Chick-fil-a Race Series 10k Race Recap

I first noticed the information for the Chick-fil-A Race Series race in our local Chick-fil-A. Having a picky eating 3 year old, we hit up Chick-fil-A at least once a week. He loves their nuggets and fruit and indoor play area. I thought it would be a fun event for the whole family. I signed us up for the 10k. And then I learned that on top of the normal age group awards there was a Spirit Award for best costume. I am ALLLLL about some fun race costumes. It. Was. On.

I made a bee line to JoAnn’s for a ton of bulk felt in Chick-fil-A colors and set about my plan. Mr. Z and I would be cows, Little Z a chicken nugget, and Baby Z-peat a waffle fry. I was even going to decorate the stroller as a take out bag. Friday afternoon I got to sewing and gluing (felt glue is amazing stuff). I stayed up until 11:00 the night before but I got it all done. We were one Chick-fil-A spirited family. I was determined to get that prize!

Even the jogging stroller got a makeover!

Our little waffle fry.

Our crazy weather meant, of course, a cold front moved in the night before. We got up at 6:00 a.m. to start getting dressed and it was 34*! Ack! So we layered upon layered up. We got the whole family dressed, the stroller loaded and we were ready to roll!

We got to the race and found our way to the start area. They had water and bananas available for everyone at the start. We filled out the spirit cards with our bib numbers at the Spirit tent and made our way to the start line. We met up with our friend Denise and her family there. The 10k racers were going first with the 5k folks starting about 10 minutes after us. We made sure the kids were super bundled up and we were off.

The course took us on the back roads around several neighborhoods and rural parts in the area. It was actually very pretty. There were wonderful race volunteers at the turns pointing us in the right direction along with well marked signs. They cheered us on at each turn. We got a mile in and were feeling good when Little Z’s iPad app got stuck and he wanted something to drink. I got the iPad fixed, got him his water, and we were able to start running again. We were in this race for the fun of it, so I wasn’t too concerned with pace.

Around mile 4 the course took us by some construction they were doing on a back road. And the crew was actually working on a Saturday. Oh no. Two huge dump trucks were trying to maneuver out of the construction site onto the nearby road. Luckily it was a small race and the trucks didn’t have to go far before they were clear of runners.

We were feeling really good and actually keeping a pretty good pace. We were on pace to knock off several minutes from last weekend’s 10k! We rounded the corner and saw the police lights signaling the turn into the finish line. Little Z loved the police lights! We sprinted it in to the finish and the Chick-fil-A cows were there giving everyone high fives and handing out little cows. It was so cute!

Little Z LOVED his little cow.

They had warm coffee and chicken biscuits waiting for all the runners. Ohh they tasted so, so good on that cold, cold day.

They also had bouncy houses set up for the kids across the parking lot. But it was so cold that Little Z really wanted nothing to do with them. They weren’t handing out medals at this race except for the overall and age group awards. They had medals for each of these categories three deep. I’m not fast by any means, so I had no expectation of getting one but I can still ogle the bling!

They had a cute finishers backdrop set up across the finish line for people to take pictures after the race. We were able to snap a Z Family picture in all of our costumed fabulousness.

And Little Z was infatuated with the big cows. He was following them around, wanted pictures with them, giving them high fives.

He even wanted to “shake his booty” with the cows. He got his dance on with the big one. It was hilarious. He had everyone in stitches.

It was time to start calling the awards. They got to each of our age groups and shocker upon shocker we each won third place in our age group! Whohoo!

Everyone was starting to leave and they still hadn’t called the Spirit Awards. I walked up to the award tent to ask if they were going to do those today or if it worked differently. She looked at me, grinned and said, “We’re just about to announce them. DO NOT LEAVE!” Ummm…OK.

They announced the third place winner. Then the second place winner. Then the overall Spirit Award winner….ME!! OMG! OMG! I was so excited!! She said it was the cow ears that put me over the top. HA!

I won a huge stuffed Chick-fil-A cow and a coffee mug filled with free Chick-fil-A vouchers. I’m going to be a Chick-fil-A eating fool!! We had such a fun time at the race. Ok, here’s the break down:

Pros:

GREAT food after the race

Nice race distances for everyone and every ability: 1 mile, 5k, and 10k

Course was fun

Bouncy houses were a nice touch for kids – just wish it were warmer

Good age group medals, three deep for each race.

The Spirit Award contest added an extra element of fun to the race.

The race shirts were really nice – red tech t-shirts.

Cons:

I wish, wish, wish races would hand out medals for everyone in the 1 mile fun run. You don’t know how much it makes these kids light up to get a medal (no matter how cheap and chintzy) when they cross that finish line.

They were handing out Chick-fil-A biscuits, coffee, water and bananas but then wanted to charge $1.50 for a cookie. It was kind of odd to me.

Overall it was a great race and we had a really good time. We would definitely be back to run this one again if it’s offered near us.

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3 thoughts on “Chick-fil-a Race Series 10k Race Recap”

Next year Alaina and I are IN!!!! {please remind me- totally missed out on this one}
I showed her the pics and she was like “How Cute” We love yall to pieces and you definetly deserved 1st place for Spirit Award and did you say Hot Coffee and Chicken Biscuits ???
OMG!!! Post Race food PERFECTION!